Parks and reserves

Uluru - Kata Tjuta National Park

Flora

Flora

Trees | Shrubs | Flowers | Grasses | Wild Tomatoes and other fruits | Rare and endangered plants | Introduced plants | Download

Bushfoods

video: Bushfoods

Desert flora is perfectly adapted to the harsh conditions of the desert. The growth and reproduction of plant communities rely on irregular rainfall. Some plants are able to survive fire, some are dependent on it to reproduce.

Plants in Aboriginal Culture

Plants are an important part of Tjukurpa, and there are ceremonies for each of the major plant foods. Many plants are associated with ancestral beings. Collection of plant foods remains a culturally important activity, reinforcing traditional links with country and Tjukurpa.

Anangu use plants for many purposes:

Warning: Some species of fruit are very poisonous. Anangu know the difference between the poisonous and non-poisonous varieties. All plants are protected within the National Park and should be left alone.

 

Punu (trees)

 

Puti - shrubs

Grevilleas and hakeas (corkwood trees) flower in the spring and winter. They have big bottlebrush heads. Anangu collect nectar from the flowers, they do not pick them for nectar. They suck it directly from the flowers or soak them in water for a sweet drink.

Tjulpun-tjulpunpa - flowers

Anangu call all the pretty ground flowers tjulpun-tjulpunpa. Daisies and other ground flowers bloom after rain and during the winter. Others such as the wattles bloom as spring approaches. Anangu collect wattle seed, crush and mix it with water to make an edible paste which they eat raw. To make damper, the seeds are parched with hot sand so their skins can be removed before they are ground for flour.

 

Ukiri - grasses

Some species of grasses have seeds which can be eaten. Anangu women rub the seed heads from their stalks and then separate the seeds from the chaff by skilful winnowing. Using grinding stones, they then grind the seeds to flower for damper.


Wild Tomatoes and Other Fruits

 

Rare and Endangered Plants

Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park flora represents a large portion of plants found in Central Australia. A number of these species are considered rare and restricted in the park or the immediate region. There are many rare and endemic plants at Uluru and Kata Tjuta. A number of other species, while found elsewhere in central Australia, may be endangered within the park.

There are several rare and endangered species in the park. Most of them like adder's tongue ferns (Ophioglossaceae Sp.) are restricted to the moist areas at the base of the monoliths, which are areas of high visitor use and subject to erosion.

 

Introduced Plants

Since the first Europeans arrived, 34 exotic plant species have been recorded in the park, representing about 6.4% of the total park flora. Some such as perennial buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris) were introduced to rehabilitate areas damaged by erosion. It is the most threatening weed in the park and has spread to invade water and nutrient rich drainage lines. Where infestation is dense, it prevents the growth of native grasses - a source of food for animals and humans.

Rubydock (Acetosa vesicaria [Rumex]), a red coloured plant that grows by the roadside, may have been introduced from Central Asia to use for stuffing camel saddles. It dries to a spongy straw. A few others such as burrgrass were brought in accidentally, carried on cars and people.

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